The new shield

Adux · 12-16-2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

India TodayNationStory
The new shield
Raj Chengappa
Wheeler Island, Orissa, December 13, 2007

A A AIn the summer of 2012, the rollercoaster relations between India and Pakistan suddenly go steeply downhill. Terrorists had launched a successful attack on the Indian Parliament, killing two Union cabinet ministers and 12 MPs.

Pakistan’s hand is clearly proven and, after a month, India goes to war. Pakistan threatens to use nuclear weapons if India doesn’t stop the invasion. As Indian troops close in on Lahore, Pakistan launches a barrage of nuclear-tipped Ghauris to strike Delhi.

In the past, such an attack would have meant certain death and destruction for Delhi. But by that year, India is equipped with a sophisticated ground-based anti-ballistic missile system (ABM).

The ABM system’s long-range radar detects the barrage of Ghauri missiles within 30 seconds of lift-off. Five minutes later and 80 km above Delhi, the ABM batteries launch a set of interceptor missiles to strike them down.

Four of Pakistan’s Ghauri missiles are blown up and their fragments fall harmlessly. But two of them evade detection and head for the capital.

The AAD01 lifts off from Wheeler IslandAs they arrive 30 km above Delhi, the Indian Army launches another barrage of interceptors that successfully bring down the remaining two Ghauris. Delhi is saved. India launches a counter nuclear strike that would, as an officer puts it, “make Pakistan not worth living in anymore”.

Science fiction? Not really. With a series of major technological breakthroughs recently, scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have demonstrated that they are capable of developing an indigenously-built anti ballistic missile shield (See graphic) that could protect not just Delhi, but other major metros and key installations from enemy nuclear attacks, whether they come in from Pakistan or China.

In doing so, India has become the newest member of the rarified club of four nations— the USA, Russia, France and Israel—having ABM capabilities.

India began revealing its prowess last year itself after keeping the project to develop an ABM system under wraps for close to five years.

On a blustery winter morning on November 27, 2006, at the Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa, it launched an interceptor missile codenamed PAD01 (Prithvi Air Defence 01) that successfully struck down an incoming Prithvi missile posing as an enemy launch, 47 km above the earth.

While the interceptor was indigenously built, the two powerful long and medium-range tracking radars were developed with the help of Israelis and were codenamed Swordfish1 and 2. Together these radars are able to detect an incoming missile 600 km away, identify its trajectory and speed and pass that information on to the control centre.

Experts termed the test as the first big step towards developing an effective ABM defence.

The problem was that the Single Shot Probability Kill ratio, as it is known in scientific parlance, is rarely 1:1 for exoatmospheric interceptors (strikes outside the earth’s atmosphere).

While dealing with nuclear missiles, “you can’t afford to let even one go through and strike a target”, says retired Air Commodore Jasjit Singh, director of the Centre for Air Power Studies. So it calls for a multi-layered ballistic missile defence that would give field commanders “a second chance” to strike down an enemy missile as it enters the earth’s atmosphere between 15 and 30 km above the earth.

Almost a year after the first successful launch, DRDO’s air defence systems team in Hyderabad tasked with the ABM project was ready with endoatmospheric (within the earth’s atmosphere) interceptor missiles that would give India the much-needed second layer of defence. (See graphic)

Known as AAD01 (Advanced Air Defence 01), the interceptor had to be far more agile and faster than PAD01, its higher-flying cousin. PAD01 was a modified version of the Prithvi—it used its liquid fuel engine in the boost phase and for the second stage “kill vehicle”, the team had developed a powerful solid rocket that included special divert thrusters giving it a high degree of manoeuvrability.

It was also equipped with the terminal homing guidance system to carry out mid-course corrections.

For AAD01, an all-new missile had to be developed—a seven-metre high single-stage solid rocket with speciallybuilt jet vanes to give it an even higher degree of manoeuvrability than the PAD01.

“It’s lean and mean”, says V.K. Saraswat, DRDO’s chief controller for missiles and programme director of the air defence systems. The missile also had to travel at supersonic speeds equivalent to 4.5 mach (four-and-a-half times the speed of sound or 5,512 kmph).

Like PAD01 it too was equipped with a navigation system and a homing seeker that can automatically carry out adjustments with reference to the -incoming enemy missile.

The first test of AAD01 was also at the Wheeler Island and the entire team moved to the launch pad in the last week of November. They first carried out a proof-of-concept test by launching an interceptor against an imaginary missile.

When that succeeded, they scheduled a strike for a live target— again an incoming Prithvi—for the morning of December 6. An hour before the launch, as is tradition, a pundit was called to perform a pooja at the site.

Such was the confidence level that the team joked and had their pictures taken in front of the missile.

For mission director Saraswat, who had helped build the Prithvi, it was his 34th launch and he calmly oversaw the countdown.

There was a ripple of excitement in the mission control centre block house as 150 km away a Prithvi was launched from Balasore to act as the enemy missile. Immediately, the radar on the large screen picked up its progress and drew a parabolic line as it headed towards Wheeler Island. Four long minutes later, the computer ordered the firing of AAD01.

A line appeared on the radar screen tracing its flight. Then just 24 seconds later at a height of 15 km above the earth the two lines intersected indicating that the interceptor had made a direct hit.

A huge cheer broke out in the block house and the jubilant team lifted Saraswat on their shoulders almost like a soccer star. Minutes later, Saraswat told India Today, “We now have the capability of making a potent missile defence shield.”

Experts acknowledge that the two tests herald India’s entry in the ABM club but as Jasjit points out, “These are important steps but we are still a long way from having an effective shield.”

Ashley Tellis, a Washington-based US missile expert, called the tests, “very impressive, even awesome” but says these are “proof of concepts” and a lot more would have to be done to make it operational. DRDO chief M. Natarajan acknowledges that what India has developed are only “key building blocks”.

The Indian team would still have to develop longer-range radars and faster interceptors to destroy intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can travel more than 2,000 km. The cost of such systems could be prohibitive too—a missile shield for Delhi alone would cost Rs 5,200 crore.

Meanwhile the other four nations having ABM systems are also just at the early stages of making them operational. The US had ambitious plans to build an astrodome kind of protection essentially against missiles launched by rogue nations or nonstate actors.

A decade later America still has only a rudimentary operational system in place. The admiration for India’s effort to build a missile shield is, therefore, well founded.

An exclusive club

Only four other nations have anti-ballistic missile systems

Anti-ballistic missile USA
In the past decade the US has invested heavily on building ground-based interceptors but still has only a rudimentary anti-ballistic missile ABM) system in place.

Missiles: It uses a combination of THAAD, SM3 and GBI systems for strikes of 50 km and above and for its second line of defence the PAC3.

ASTER FRANCE
A relative new-comer France has made steady progress with ABM systems.

Missiles: ASTER, its main interceptor, has a capability of knocking down incoming missiles at a height of 40 km.

Endoatmopsheric missiles RUSSIA
It was unhappy when the US pulled out of the ABM treaty in 2001. It has now revived its programme to build sophisticated missile defence systems.

Missiles: Russia relies largely on endoatmopsheric missiles of the S-300 and S-400 series that can strike targets at an altitude of 20 km and above.

ARROW systems ISRAEL
Along with the US, Israel has jointly developed its ABM systems including the most sophisticated longrange radars.

Missiles: Israel uses highly accurate ARROW systems for its line of defence.

India Today - The most widely read newsweekly in South Asia.

sun · 12-16-2007, 13:42 PM

A feel good factor for Indians.
How much is reality and how much is fiction in this story?

WhamBam · 12-17-2007, 11:06 AM

Awesome. This should make sure that Pakistan stops dreaming of using nucelar weapons as a shield for continuing terror against India.

Archer · 12-17-2007, 17:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun

A feel good factor for Indians.
How much is reality and how much is fiction in this story?

Why dont you tell us? Or are two liners all you can educate us with?

sun · 12-18-2007, 00:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Why dont you tell us?

If I know I would have told you

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Or are two liners all you can educate us with?

[/quote]
Those 2 lines are questions asked to professionals in this forum, who knows far better than me in ABM system.
If you know anything, you can share your views.....
I think you failed to distinguish what is question and what is information(dont get offended)

Tronic · 12-18-2007, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sun

If I know I would have told you

Those 2 lines are questions asked to professionals in this forum, who knows far better than me in ABM system.
If you know anything, you can share your views.....
I think you failed to distinguish what is question and what is information(dont get offended)

sun, we have very informative threads on the ABM system; I suggest you do some reading there to get atleast a basic idea of the thing. That way, you can avoid pointless rhetorical questions.

sun · 12-18-2007, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tronic

sun, we have very informative threads on the ABM system; I suggest you do some reading there to get atleast a basic idea of the thing. That way, you can avoid pointless rhetorical questions.

Sir, I had read the threads on ABM system.
What I understand from those is, ABM's are very difficult system to install and work. It take enormous long time to develop and deploy.
Few even claimed that, Indian ABM's are derived from Israly Arrows

So considering the timeframe and difficulty involved in development, I am asking whether everything in the above report is truth or any fictional part in that?

Archer · 12-18-2007, 11:11 AM

Sun, why would Raj Chengappa write fiction? Are you aware of who he is and his earlier works, namely weapons of peace? It is the only inside account of Indias nuclear weapons program till date. Think about it.

The ABM system is not derived from the Arrow, the Arrow would probably meet part of Indias needs, but not all.

The one thing common to both systems is the Long range tracking radar, which is an improved variant of the GreenPine, but with DRDO developed Tx/Rx modules and other improvements to be able to track targets at higher speed, and range.

This is because the missiles India faces, and will face by the time this system is operational, will be more advanced than those faced by Israel in terms of range and speed. The China-Pak axis is far stronger than the China-NoKo-Pak one.

Now the article above tells you exactly how the system works, read it, and ask questions.

Of course, it is hard to achieve but they have been working on it for the past ten years.

They have used all the other IGMDP issues and others to develop the building blocks of technology required for such a program, such as Ring laser gyro INS, solid motors, divert nozzles..

Read the articles.

Archer · 12-18-2007, 11:20 AM

This is the article by TS Sub. - hes also an old science reportage hand, and pretty well connected. Do you think even he made it up? Nobody can disguise a test failure. Agni-3s first test was a case in point.

The LRTR is the modified GreenPine with local modules. The MFCR is a new radar, but a Thales Master-A was used in the interim. Both are mobile AESA systems, but the LRTR is more of a strategic system.

Smashing hit

Quote:

THERE was applause at first, followed by five minutes of silence as missile technologists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scanned the consoles in front of them. After 25 seconds of tension, a deafening applause broke out in the Mission Control Centre (MCC) on Wheeler Island, 17 kilometres from Dhamra on the Orissa coast. The atmosphere turned electric as the young men and women missile technologists went delirious with joy. Full-throated cries of “DRDO zindabad”, “Three cheers to DRDO” and “Hip, hip hooray” filled the room as vigorous handshaking and warm hugs added to the celebratory mood. “Gentlemen,” announced V.K. Saraswat, Mission Director, “many nations have done the interception in exo-atmosphere [between 40 km and 75 km above the earth]. But a direct hit in endo-atmosphere [at an altitude of 15 km to 30 km] is something fantastic. It is unbelievable…. It is phenomenal.”

On December 6, 2007, when the DRDO’s interceptor missile called Advanced Air Defence (AAD-02) scored a direct hit on an incoming, modified Prithvi missile, it propelled India into a select group of three countries with the ability to intercept ballistic missiles. The countries that already have this capability are the United States, Russia and Israel. According to Saraswat, the modified Prithvi missile that played the role of attacker “mimicked” the trajectory of M-9 and M-11 ballistic missiles, “which are with our adversaries”.

The sequence of events was as follows. At 11 a.m. the single-stage “attacker” Prithvi missile lifted off from its mobile launcher (a Tatra truck) in Launch Complex III at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, near Balasore, Orissa. At once, radars at Konark and Paradip, both in Orissa, swung into action, located the target missile while it was climbing and communicated information about its velocity and position in real time to the MCC. The MCC, in turn, classified the target missile as a ballistic missile and assigned the task of intercepting it to the AAD-02 launcher battery located on Wheeler Island, 70 km across the sea from Chandipur. The MCC quickly calculated the trajectory of the incoming missile and where it would impact. This information was conveyed from the MCC to the AAD-02 launcher battery through a mobile communication terminal, which is a bank of sophisticated computers located on a massive truck.

After the attacker missile reached its apogee of 110 km, the command for the interceptor, AAD-02, to lift off was given. The interceptor erupted into life five minutes after the attacker lifted off. The interceptor was equipped with inertial navigation, control and guidance systems. More importantly, it had on board a radio-frequency seeker. Acting as the “eye” of the interceptor, the seeker calculated the velocity, position and direction of the “enemy” missile. The seeker conveyed all this information to the computers on board the interceptor, and the computers instructed the interceptor to manoeuvre itself towards the target. And before one had time to clap, the AAD-02 homed in on the target and made a direct hit at an altitude of 15 km. The attacker was shot down during the terminal stage of its flight. The interception took place when the target missile was in free fall at a speed of about Mach 3 (that is, three times the speed of sound) and the interceptor was travelling at more than Mach 4.

An ecstatic Saraswat, who is Chief Controller, DRDO R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems), called the mission “a dream come true”. He said: “The data received in real time from the radars demonstrated the formation of a large number of tracks, signifying that the target had broken into multiple pieces and that the debris was tracked by the radars. The thermal cameras located on Wheeler Island also picked up the direct hit through thermal images. The achievement of a direct hit against a high-speed target demonstrates the capability of the AAD missile system to intercept targets up to a range of 2,000 km. It also signifies the development of complex guidance, control, navigation and propulsion systems; radars, seekers, computer, command, control and communication systems; robust communication networking; software development; and so on.”

Saraswat summed up the significance of the mission thus: “The successful interception certainly confirms the capability of India to defend itself against incoming ballistic missiles. We can assure the nation today that the DRDO has the technology to develop a potent missile shield for the country.”

M. Natarajan, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, compared the interception to “hitting a bullet with another bullet” and attributed the success of the mission to the “pioneering work” done by young DRDO professionals. Natarajan, who is also Secretary and Director General, DRDO R&D, watched the lift-off of both the target and attacker missiles and the interception live on a video link provided at DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi.

Avinash Chander, Director, Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad, described it as “a tremendous mission and a tremendous moment”. He added: “What we have achieved today is something unheard of. I don’t think any country has been able to launch a missile and hit it the first time…. The interceptor crossed the target missile at the correct point. The target missile went into fragments thereafter.”

The target missile was a modified, single-stage Prithvi, fuelled by liquid propellants. To suit the requirements of this mission, the control system of Prithvi was modified so that it could reach an altitude of more than 100 km. The modified Prithvi was 11 metres tall and weighed five tonnes. Its diameter was 1 m. Its launch, in this instance, was carried out in an independent manner by the Army, which already has Prithvi-I and Prithvi-II missiles. The interceptor was, however, “a totally new missile”, 7.5 m tall, weighing 1.3 tonnes and with a diameter of 0.5 m. It was fuelled by solid propellants.

While Saraswat was the Mission Director at Wheeler Island for the interceptor missile, D.S. Reddy was the Vehicle Director. For the “attacker” missile, Lieutenant General (retired) V.J. Sundaram was Mission Director-Coordinator.

The successful interception confirms that India has taken the first few decisive steps forward on the road to acquiring a ballistic missile defence shield. The interception in the endo-atmosphere was carried out as part of the DRDO’s quest to build a two-tiered ballistic missile defence shield. On November 27, 2006, India’s interceptor missile called Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) intercepted an incoming Prithvi-II missile at an altitude of 50 km. That was also a direct hit.

On December 2, 2007, AAD-01 intercepted a simulated electronic missile at an altitude of 15 km above the Bay of Bengal. The electronic missile was launched from Chandipur and the interceptor from Wheeler Island. That is, electronic signals that mimicked the trajectory of an enemy ballistic missile were sent. And the interceptor, which was a real missile, took off, manoeuvred itself close to the electronic trajectory and extinguished the “enemy missile” by “proximity killing” (as opposed to a “hit to kill” or a direct hit).

Informed sources warned that although these two tests, in the exo-atmosphere and the endo-atmosphere, were successful, what India had today “is only an essential module for a possible ballistic missile shield” and that it would take several more tests for India to have a credible ballistic missile defence shield.

Although Israeli and French radars were used in the mission on December 6, what was amazing was the highly sophisticated software developed by DRDO’s young software professionals. Natarajan, who took pains to emphasise the importance of the high-end software developed by the DRDO’s young team, said, “This is hard core engineering-related software, not BPO [business process outsourcing] software. It shows the significant capability of networking massive software linked to hardware actuation.… If you can do this for a missile, you can do it for civil aviation.”

Saraswat, who traced the evolution of these two interceptor missions, said they began as a concept in 1997 when A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (then DRDO chief and Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister) asked whether it would be possible to intercept a Prithvi missile with an Akash missile (while Prithvi is a surface-to-surface missile, Akash is a surface-to-air missile).

The project itself began in 1998. There were discussions as to whether Akash could be modified, but it was decided that Akash would not do as an interceptor. After the radars were chosen, the interceptor had to be configured. Marathon discussions took place on whether the interceptor should be fashioned out of Prithvi or Agni-1.

“The whole process was difficult because the technologies were complex, starting from the choice of radars,” Saraswat said. It was a difficult journey setting up the radar stations, indigenising the radars, developing the mission control software, and so on.

“Imagine, if we did not have the radars, we would not have known that the actual interception had taken place,” he said.

Several DRDO units and private industries contributed to the mission. The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad provided the mission control software. The Research Centre, Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, another DRDO unit, provided the navigation, electromechanical actuation systems, the seeker on board the interceptor, and so on, all of which ensured the direct hit. The ASL provided the motors, jet vanes and structures for the two missiles.

The High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune, also a part of the DRDO, supplied the propellants for the missiles. The ITR at Chandipur and Wheeler Island, headed by S.P. Dash, its Director, provided the range. Saraswat praised the ITR for the quality of its instrumentation. Programme Air Defence carried out the configuration of the AAD-02 missile. Indian Air Force personnel did a marvellous job of manning the radars. Several private industries, such as L & T and Vem Technologies Private Limited, Hyderabad, also made important contributions to the mission.

The DRDO has now set its sights higher. It wants to take up “the harder challenges” of engaging an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), launching two missiles in the exo-atmosphere and the endo-atmosphere against a single target missile, and so on. A happy Saraswat asserted, “Today, the DRDO is in a mission mode with Agni-III, Air Defence, Astra and is preparing for the short-range surface-to-air missile, which is in the conceptual stage, that can be used by all the three services. In this, we have not included the on-going programmes such as BrahMos, Akash and Nag.”

sun · 12-18-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archer

Sun, why would Raj Chengappa write fiction? Are you aware of who he is and his earlier works, namely weapons of peace? It is the only inside account of Indias nuclear weapons program till date. Think about it.

The ABM system is not derived from the Arrow, the Arrow would probably meet part of Indias needs, but not all.

The one thing common to both systems is the Long range tracking radar, which is an improved variant of the GreenPine, but with DRDO developed Tx/Rx modules and other improvements to be able to track targets at higher speed, and range.

This is because the missiles India faces, and will face by the time this system is operational, will be more advanced than those faced by Israel in terms of range and speed. The China-Pak axis is far stronger than the China-NoKo-Pak one.

Now the article above tells you exactly how the system works, read it, and ask questions.

Of course, it is hard to achieve but they have been working on it for the past ten years.

They have used all the other IGMDP issues and others to develop the building blocks of technology required for such a program, such as Ring laser gyro INS, solid motors, divert nozzles..

Read the articles.

Thanks for the information Archer,
yes its my mistake, I dint try to find out who Raj Chengappa is.

WhamBam · 12-18-2007, 12:55 PM

Nice article Archer. Thanks for sharing.

12-17-2007, 11:06 AM	#3 (permalink)
WhamBam Contributor Join Date: 02-27-07 Location: India Posts: 678 Country:	Awesome. This should make sure that Pakistan stops dreaming of using nucelar weapons as a shield for continuing terror against India. __________________ There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don’t..

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12-16-2007, 13:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
sun Patron Join Date: 12-13-07 Location: India Posts: 297 Country:	A feel good factor for Indians. How much is reality and how much is fiction in this story?

12-18-2007, 11:11 AM	#8 (permalink)
Archer *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 10-13-03 Posts: 2,888	Sun, why would Raj Chengappa write fiction? Are you aware of who he is and his earlier works, namely weapons of peace? It is the only inside account of Indias nuclear weapons program till date. Think about it. The ABM system is not derived from the Arrow, the Arrow would probably meet part of Indias needs, but not all. The one thing common to both systems is the Long range tracking radar, which is an improved variant of the GreenPine, but with DRDO developed Tx/Rx modules and other improvements to be able to track targets at higher speed, and range. This is because the missiles India faces, and will face by the time this system is operational, will be more advanced than those faced by Israel in terms of range and speed. The China-Pak axis is far stronger than the China-NoKo-Pak one. Now the article above tells you exactly how the system works, read it, and ask questions. Of course, it is hard to achieve but they have been working on it for the past ten years. They have used all the other IGMDP issues and others to develop the building blocks of technology required for such a program, such as Ring laser gyro INS, solid motors, divert nozzles.. Read the articles.

12-18-2007, 12:55 PM	#11 (permalink)
WhamBam Contributor Join Date: 02-27-07 Location: India Posts: 678 Country:	Nice article Archer. Thanks for sharing.

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